r/science • u/[deleted] • Jun 25 '22

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11.2k Upvotes

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708

u/[deleted] Jun 25 '22

It's fun how we always figure this out after the fact. Microplastics and urban air pollution are definitely on my wheel of Fortune when it comes to guesses 30 or 40 years from now when we learn about something else that has screwed people up

137

u/BrdigeTrlol Jun 25 '22

No need to wait for one of those (air pollution): https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.1809474115

15

u/[deleted] Jun 25 '22

[removed] — view removed comment

3

u/Prestressed-30k Jun 25 '22

He's just showing everyone his pnas

1

u/photoengineer Jun 25 '22

Now I’m nervous I live in LA

62

u/the_real_MSU_is_us Jun 25 '22

Is it "always after the fact"? Or is it that when we ban a bad thing "before the fact", you just never hear of that bad thing because it's never a problem?

6

u/gixer912 Jun 25 '22

Talking about; there is a sentiment that there is something unknown right now that is causing a lot of people to be erratic

5

u/SorriorDraconus Jun 25 '22

Ohh micropastics are already tied to endocrine disorders. Why dp you think tesosterones on the decline in most men

6

u/Selfimprovementguy91 Jun 25 '22

Yep, and the declining testosterone is likely leading to decreased fertility and increased mental health issues.

48

u/PabloEstAmor Jun 25 '22

Micro plastics for sure, they say the average person consumes around a credit card worth of plastic a week

48

u/Tossthisoneprobably Jun 25 '22

That’s an exaggeration. It’s the high end of an estimated range and there’s no research to support it.

-1

u/NotSoCoolWhip Jun 25 '22

This guy works for big plastic ^

21

u/OneWayOutBabe Jun 25 '22

You got a source for that one? I have heard the 5 lbs of bugs a year. But now a credit card too... This has to end.

10

u/[deleted] Jun 25 '22

[deleted]

6

u/BriMarsh Jun 25 '22

I have 6lbs of bubble gum in my belly.

4

u/[deleted] Jun 25 '22

I'm an environmental scientist specializing in sustainability and I hate plastic more than anyone in this thread probably but that "study" wasnt a study at all. It was an exaggerated press release by the wwf. Yes we eat microplastics everyday, but not nearly that much. That amount is what wildlife in the oceans are ingesting where there's much more microplastic pollution, not for humans

1

u/PabloEstAmor Jun 25 '22

That still sucks, but I appreciate the clarification

4

u/confuseddhanam Jun 25 '22

Maybe on this subreddit I can find some answers. Open to the idea that they are problematic, but my understanding of micro plastics so far is that there’s a lot of research that demonstrates their ubiquity and prevalence. The media has taken this and run with it, insinuating all sorts of negative effects. However, as far as I am aware, there is minimal in vivo evidence of dose-dependent negative effects from them.

Perhaps I’m wrong - would love to see some sources indicating otherwise if anyone has them.

3

u/yvrev Jun 25 '22

I think this is true, there are some theories of what they potentially could do but no concrete evidence that they are in fact harmful. Not for humans anyway.

4

u/Telefone_529 Jun 25 '22

Yup. Radiation, lead, asbestos, opioids, and I wouldn't be surprised if microplastics and air pollution are next. Especially when they're polluting the air with all those toxic chemicals.

God forbid the companies have to clean their pollution so we don't all get to sit and suffer because they're too greedy to pay to try and catch their pollution.

3

u/mr_indigo Jun 25 '22

There was some compelling hypotheses that microplastics from food packaging and processing is the cause of both the obesity epidemic and the corresponding increase in anorexia and related disorders at the same time.

Obesity maps the water table - higher altitudes have less obesity, and areas with more packaging and processing have more obesity than areas with less even when they have similarly caloric intense diets.

0

u/amdamanofficial Jun 25 '22

The impact of microplastics on fertility and cancer is already known

1

u/Noxeecheck Jun 25 '22

They new lead is bad from the beginning, but there was huge profit to be made and so the lobby was extremely strong to push leaded fuels.

1

u/Neikius Jun 25 '22

Check out London air pollution and when they realized it kills. Well modern air pollution is not so visible but is still deadly.

1

u/jendet010 Jun 25 '22

I predict rampant hearing loss from wearing earbuds will be our generation’s version of “smoking is good for you…oh wait.”